Alternative Home Heating Options

It seems everywhere you turn these days things are just getting more and more expensive. And those rising costs don’t seem to line up with any sort of increase in your paycheck – if you ever get an increase at all!

So looking for ways to reduce expenses is always a good idea. And looking for ways to keep your home heating bills low is also a good idea. Why pay to heat the outside air? And why pay any more than you absolutely have to? Well the good news is that there are a lot of options out there especially if you are looking for an alternative way to heat your house rather than just relying on expensive fossil fuels.

So if you are considering an alternative way to heat your home, here are a couple of good reasons to think about. First of all, in the long run it can significantly reduce your monthly energy bill. By using a lower costing source of energy production, you can save money. You will also save money by not having to purchase as much of the more expensive traditional ways of producing heat for your home.

Secondly, it might be a good idea to get ahead on the alternative energy band wagon, as there are a lot of studies that are stating that fossil fuels are becoming increasing difficult and expense to produce and are also a non renewable resource that might just run out some day. So as energy sources become scarcer, their prices will increase exponentially – and that will hurt your pocket book even more!

So before you invest in a traditional home heating system, why not consider an alternative? Here is some information about some options:

Hydronic Heating Systems – these units will provide heat for a building, including a home from the ground up. Essentially, a series of tubes are installed in the flooring, whether it’s concrete or wood, which are then used as a looping system that is usually filled with hot water and antifreeze. This heated liquid travels through the tubes, releasing heat as it goes, which in turn heats the surround air. Then it travels back to the source for reheating and around and around it goes.

Geothermal Heating Systems – these systems can be used to make the hydronic systems work even more efficiently. This system basically capitalizes on the Earth’s natural ability to produce heat below its surface. Through a series of pipes, this natural source of heat is trapped and then pumped up into the home. The very cool feature of this system is that it can actually be used to heat and cool a home. There is some electricity required to operate the pump, but other than that, no other source of power is used.

Solar power is another way to heat your home. This option can be initially very expensive to purchase and install solar panels. However, it is very efficient and in some places you can actually sell back unused units of power that are produced. It can take years to be able to recoup the initial capital costs, but it’s definitely a long term solution worth looking into.